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Author: Pinoy 2022

The problem of the Duterte Administration is that it has a SHALLOW BENCH. Duque, more of a politician than a doctor of medicine, was chosen on the recommendation of former President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo. In other words, political expediency rather than expertise won out. The first Duterte Health Secretary, Ubial, was appointed on the basis of merely coming from Mindanao, thus did not have the personality, stature and vision to lead the national health bureaucracy. At a time of COVID 19 pandemic, Filipino lives are at stake more than ever. Frontliners have suffered heavily. The country needs a Health Secretary that can and would guide us in this time of living dangerously.

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Duterte scouting for new DOH chief?

Edith Regalado (The Philippine Star)

May 25, 2020

DAVAO CITY, Philippines — President Duterte is reportedly scouting for somebody to replace Francisco Duque III as health secretary amid calls for his resignation by members of the Senate and other sectors of society due to his handling of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic.

“I understand the President is now looking around for somebody to replace Duque,” a source told The STAR.

Another source, however, said the timing of the supposed firing of Duque, if not his resignation, comes at a time that the country is in the midst of the “battle against COVID-19.”

“It is hard to change horses midstream, so the President should not take long to act on it,” the source said.

Several sectors have claimed that Duque has lost the credibility to lead the country’s fight against COVID-19 after the Department of Health was accused of overpricing the procurement of medical equipment to battle the disease.

Duterte has ordered the immediate investigation of the matter.

“We hope the President will not take long to give Duque the way out. He has to go,” a Duterte Cabinet member, who asked not to be named, said.

The Senate quizzed Duque on overpriced purchases, but he pointed to the Department of Budget and Management as responsible for “the discrepancies in the purchases.”

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Palace contradicts DOH: Philippines still in first wave of COVID-19 infections

By: Darryl John Esguerra

INQUIRER.net

May 21, 2020

MANILA, Philippines — The Philippines is still in the first wave of the novel coronavirus outbreak, Malacañang said Thursday, refuting Health Secretary Francisco Duque III’s declaration that the country is now facing the second wave of the coronavirus pandemic.

During a Senate hearing on the government’s COVID-19 response Wednesday, Duque disclosed that the Philippines is actually on the second wave of COVID-19 infection now, citing data from epidemiology experts.

Duque’s statement, however, was met with opposition from some senators, lawmakers, and even government officials, especially after President Rodrigo Duterte himself has repeatedly mentioned trying to avoid a second wave of COVID-19 cases, which his economic managers said would be too costly to address.

The DOH explained that the first wave of infection occurred in late January when the Philippines recorded its first three confirmed cases involving Chinese tourists from Wuhan, the origin of the novel coronavirus pandemic.

It added that the second wave of more than 10,000 cases peaked at the end of March. It can be recalled that the DOH reported 583 new COVID-19 infections on March 31, the highest recorded new cases in a day.

Citing data from health professionals, Roque said the first wave started with the three COVID-19 positive Chinese nationals late January and went on until May when the Philippines started to report a decrease in coronavirus infections.

Davao City Mayor Inday Sara Duterte slammed ABS-CBN’s report about her interview with a radio station.

In her Instagram post, Mayor Duterte said that ABS-CBN only put her short statement instead of putting all her explanations on why her father, President Rodrigo Duterte was allowed to travel back to Davao City.

According to her, ABS-CBN’s latest news report about her is one of the reasons why many people don’t like Kapamilya Network.

MANILA, Philippines — Members of the House of Representatives would have to skip their midterm break when they deliberate on ABS-CBN’s application for a franchise renewal, House Speaker Alan Peter Cayetano said on Tuesday.

“The deliberations … will continue … until they are finished so no one can say we’re stopping the process, or dragging our feet,” Cayetano said.

He issued the statement even as he withdrew House Bill No. 6732, which would have granted the media giant a “provisional” franchise to operate until Oct. 31 while Congress tackles the 12 bills seeking to grant it a 25-year license to operate.

Cayetano said the issue had become “so divisive” and “so polluted,” that it distracted Congress from more pressing concerns like the COVID-19 crisis.

The House committee is likely to hold two to three hearings a week, Cayetano said, adding that the House should be ready to decide when it comes back after its recess starting on June 4 and after President Duterte’s State of the Nation Address on July 27.

In the Senate, Se­nate Minority Leader Franklin Drilon on Wednesday said Cayetano’s decision to withdraw the bill showed his indifference to the plight of the network’s 11,000 workers.

ABS-CBN president and CEO Carlo Katigbak said on Tuesday the network might retrench personnel starting August since it could not sustain operations without a regular source of revenue.

Union leaders of the company meanwhile said they were staying strong for their coworkers and families despite the looming prospect of layoffs.

Palace contradicts DOH: Philippines still in first wave of COVID-19 infections

By: Darryl John Esguerra

INQUIRER.net

May 21, 2020

MANILA, Philippines — The Philippines is still in the first wave of the novel coronavirus outbreak, Malacañang said Thursday, refuting Health Secretary Francisco Duque III’s declaration that the country is now facing the second wave of the coronavirus pandemic.

During a Senate hearing on the government’s COVID-19 response Wednesday, Duque disclosed that the Philippines is actually on the second wave of COVID-19 infection now, citing data from epidemiology experts.

Duque’s statement, however, was met with opposition from some senators, lawmakers, and even government officials, especially after President Rodrigo Duterte himself has repeatedly mentioned trying to avoid a second wave of COVID-19 cases, which his economic managers said would be too costly to address.

The DOH explained that the first wave of infection occurred in late January when the Philippines recorded its first three confirmed cases involving Chinese tourists from Wuhan, the origin of the novel coronavirus pandemic.

It added that the second wave of more than 10,000 cases peaked at the end of March. It can be recalled that the DOH reported 583 new COVID-19 infections on March 31, the highest recorded new cases in a day.

Citing data from health professionals, Roque said the first wave started with the three COVID-19 positive Chinese nationals late January and went on until May when the Philippines started to report a decrease in coronavirus infections.

Second wave: A phenomenon of infections that can develop during a pandemic. The disease infects one group of people first. Infections appear to decrease. And then, infections increase in a different part of the population, resulting in a second wave of infections.

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Duque’s statement on COVID-19 ’second wave’ confuses experts

Christian V. Esguerra, ABS-CBN News

May 20, 2020

MANILA – The Philippines is still dealing with the current stream of COVID-19 infections, contrary to its health chief’s announcement that the country was now experiencing a “second wave,” medical experts said Wednesday.

This next phase in a pandemic comes only with “humongous outbreaks,” and after the first wave of infections has come under control, said Dr. Benjamin Co, a specialist on pediatric infectious diseases who has been monitoring the country’s epidemiological curves based on daily government data.

“We’ve never flattened anything yet,” he told ABS-CBN News. “We’re still dealing with the first wave.”

Co said Health Secretary Francisco Duque III should clarify his statement during Wednesday’s Senate hearing that the country’s first wave came in late January when 3 Chinese nationals sickened with the virus arrived here.

“I think he’s coming from a definition, probably, that (the curve) was flat from the very beginning then came a few cases,” Co said.

The health department on Wednesday reported 279 new cases bringing the total number of infections in the country to 13,221, with a death toll of 842. Of the total number of infections, 9,447 were considered “active” cases.

“We’re seeing gains, to be fair,” said Co, citing the fewer number of reported deaths and new cases daily.

Dr. Tony Leachon, a medical adviser to the government task force on the pandemic, said quarantine measures in certain areas would not have been relaxed if epidemiological data pointed to a second wave.

“It would have been counterintuitive to do that,” he said. “When you say ‘second wave,’ it means you have flattened the first one. We’re still in the first wave.”

The UK-based Centre for Evidence-Based Medicine (CEBM) cautioned against “making absolute statements of certainty about ‘second waves’” about the new coronavirus, which has infected 4.9 million people worldwide.

“We do not know for certain whether COVID will recur in phases, or sporadic outbreaks or disappear altogether,” wrote Tom Jefferson, a senior associate tutor and honorary research fellow at CEBM.

MANILA, Philippines — Media giant ABS-CBN Corp. yesterday failed to secure a temporary restraining order from the Supreme Court (SC) that could have allowed the network to resume its radio and television broadcast.

The high court’s failure to issue a ruling on ABS-CBN’s petition for a TRO means that the cease and desist order (CDO) issued by the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) against the company stays.

During an online full court session, 14 justices unanimously ordered the NTC and Congress to comment on ABS-CBN’s petition instead of issuing a TRO, SC spokesman Brian Keith Hosaka said.

The SC gave the NTC, Senate and House of Representatives 10 days from receipt of notice to comment on the network’s petition questioning the CDO.

ABS-CBN named the NTC as the only respondent, but the justices separately impleaded Congress and required them to file a comment, Hosaka said.

The NTC was given five days to reply to the comments to be filed by the House and the Senate.

The SC also denied the plea of lawyer Lorenzo Gadon to consolidate the ABS-CBN case with his petition, which asked the high tribunal to stop the NTC from issuing the network a provisional authority to operate after the expiration of its 25-year franchise.

ABS-CBN filed the petition for TRO on May 7, two days after the NTC issued the CDO against the media giant.

Malacañang said it is leaving it up to the SC to decide on the petition filed by ABS-CBN.

“I don’t know how to react to that. We will just let the SC decide,” presidential spokesman Harry Roque said at a press briefing. “If there is no TRO, that means the SC is not convinced that a restraining order is needed.”

House recalls provisional franchise bill

At the House of Representatives, lawmakers dropped yesterday the proposed measure granting ABS-CBN a temporary franchise pending deliberations on its application for a fresh 25-year franchise.

In a privilege speech during a mixed physical and virtual plenary session, Speaker Alan Peter Cayetano recalled House Bill 6732 that had been approved on first reading by the chamber sitting as committee of the whole.

“Because of divisiveness and after consulting with lawmakers, the House leadership decided to forgo the grant of a provisional franchise and immediately proceed with the hearings on the bills seeking renewal of the ABS-CBN franchise,” Cayetano said.

He said the matter would be returned to the House committee on legislative franchises chaired by Palawan Rep. Franz Alvarez.

The decision was reached following a caucus among leaders of political blocs in the majority coalition and after the chamber recalled its approval on second reading of the bill that would have granted provisional franchise to the network until Oct.31, 2020.

A majority of House members supported the proposal of Bulacan Rep. Jonathan Sy-Alvarado to refer the matter back to the legislative franchises panel.

Cayetano explained that he earlier pushed for the provisional franchise because he would have wanted to allow the network to continue airing while Congress hears the franchise renewal application.

It was not clear if the withdrawal of HB 6732 would still need approval of the House plenary.

Solicitor General Jose Calida said he agreed with Cayetano’s call to have a thorough investigation on supposed violations of ABS-CBN.

“These issues must be resolved first before a bill authorizing ABS-CBN to operate is passed, even if what is being granted is only a provisional franchise. Certainly, one cannot put the cart before the horse,” Calida said yesterday.

“The grant of a legislative franchise is imbued with public interest. It cannot be haphazardly issued. Thus, to issue a provisional franchise to allow ABS-CBN to continue its broadcasting operations without conducting a hearing would amount to Congress acting speedily for the sake of acting speedily, which is a disservice to the Filipino people,” he added.

Provisional franchise OK

The network is amenable to a provisional franchise from Congress if only to be able to air immediately to provide news and information, and stop the possible retrenchment of thousands of its workers, ABS-CBN president and chief executive officer Carlo Katigbak said.

“At this point, the priority for ABS-CBN is to return on air as quickly as possible. We need to do this so we can start earning revenues so we can continue paying the salaries of our employees,” Katigbak told the Senate committee on public services through video conference.

“If a provisional franchise valid until October is the quickest way to get back on air, then we accept that with the hope that Congress continue hearings so we can secure the 25-year franchise,” he added.

He said ABS-CBN and its subsidiaries, which employ over 11,000 people have committed to retain jobs for three months even if it continues to lose over P30 million per day since it was shut down by the government on May 5.

ABS-CBN on Monday said it was stunned by accusations raised during House deliberations on the proposed provisional franchise, saying the allegations have been answered under oath by network executives and government officials at a Senate hearing on Feb. 24.

ABS-CBN said officials of the Securities and Exchange Commission, NTC and Bureau of Internal Revenue have testified that the network “had no violations as it relates to their specific agency.”

Senate Majority Leader Juan Miguel Zubiri said he was worried if the matter is not immediately settled, the network may lose its frequencies, which is necessary if it is to resume operations.

“Unless the franchise is outright rejected, I think we should give them a fighting chance to be able to continue their operations,” Zubiri said.

The hearing, presided over by Sen. Sherwin Gatchalian, was supposed to take up pending bills in the Senate all seeking to grant the network a provisional or 25-year franchise.

The panel did not take up HB 6732, which seeks to grant the network a temporary five-month franchise as senators agreed to wait for the measure to reach the Senate.

Officials of the NTC were a no-show at the hearing. But senators said they would be made to explain in the next hearing expected to be held next week.

During the hearing, former chief justice Reynato Puno said Congress has the authority to grant the network a provisional franchise, but advised that it would be better if the Senate waits for the House bill.

Former Senate president Juan Ponce Enrile said if Congress intends to grant ABS-CBN a 25-year franchise, then it should do so instead of giving it a temporary authority. Alexis Romero, Edu Punay, Paolo Romero, Ralph Edwin Villanueva